The AI Path to Broadway

Despite Simon Cowell’s derisive comments to American Idol contestants about “sounding Broadway” (as if this were an insult and a waste to time compared to, say, choosing a career in pop music – Pffft!!!), it seems a number of Idol alumni have found their way to the Great White Way. All I have to say is: more power to them!

Jordin Sparks will now be the latest Idol to appear on Broadway, according to David’s latest tweet. She will be joining the cast of In the Heights. I’m glad to hear this! I was rather disappointed in the musical direction in which Jive has taken her.

So, here’s my question: is it inevitable that David will wind up on the Great White Way one of these fine days?

David is not theatrical, but he’s got the kind of vocals that could fill up an impressive theater house. I would love, love, LOVE to hear his renditions on

“Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera

“Bring Him Home” from Les Miz (once he reaches middle age to play Jean Valjean)

“Maria” from West Side Story (he’d be a fantastic Tony, wouldn’t he?)

And while I loathe the music of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, I believe David would make a magnificent Joseph. Hmm, he would make a beautiful Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar too, no?

I personally would prefer David in the movies (can’t you just imagine the magical close-ups he would get – GAH!!!), so since Hollywood has been reviving the movie musical, here’s hoping this is the path David would take. (Besides, it’s high time the movies started investing in performers who can actually SING!)

Past Idol contestants making appearances on the stage:

Fantasia (The Color Purple)

Taylor Hicks (Grease)

Clay Aiken (Monty Python’s Spamalot)

Tamyra Gray (Rent)

Constantine Maroulis (in Rock of Ages and Jesus Christ Superstar)

Diana Degarmo (Hair and Hairspray)

Ace Young (Hair)

Ruben Studdard (Ain’t Misbehavin’ – with Frenchie Davis, who also appeared in Dreamgirls)

Syesha Mercado (Dreamgirls)

Jordin Sparks (In the Heights)

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HG hi! Never posted here before. It’s so great knowing there are others in this world that “get” David. Thank you for all your thoughtful posts about him.
I have also imagined David singing “Drink With Me” from Les Mis.Yeah I know he doesn’t drink & lyrics are a bit racy, but a girl can dream, no?

Another thought provoking article, HG! Well, we can say David and Les Mis is ALREADY destiny, since he attributed his inspiration for singing to watching the 10th anniversary of Les Mis tape at the age of 6. Instead of hoping for him to play a role, I would love to hear him sing every dang song in the entire sound track. If I can only pick one song, it would be “Castle on a Cloud”! :)

I’d love to see David on Broadway and/or in the movies. There are so many roles he could play. Roles in Les Mis, The Phantom, or West Side Story would be phenomenal. Heck, I’d even like hearing him sing “Edelweiss” in Sound of Music.

He has the singing mastered. He just needs more confidence in his acting (and, dare I say, dancing) abilities. Since he is such a perfectionist, he needs to learn to be happy with ‘excellence’ versus ‘perfection’.

I could wax poetic for hours about Les Mis. I actually purchased from PBS the 10th aniversary tapes for my dad as a present as a fundraiser for PBS. I love On my own also- also One More Day- and of course I dreamed a dream. Love them all. Love the story line- To me it is one of rhe most moving stories of commitment, love, misunderstanding, set against a harsh back drop of poverty and political upheaval. It simply has it all.

rae, I have the same 10th anniversary CD. And, every time a tour of Les Mis comes to my city I attend – and I cry every time. Something in the music is so evocative and I am always touched by the many forms of love expressed: love of friends, love of country, love of a parent for a child, love of a child for a parent, romantic love, and love of God.

I particularly like one of the last lines of the show, “When you love another person you see the face of God.” There is no dialog in the show – it is all expressed through the music. David would be perfect.

HG, Thanks for “Broadway” post…..very interesting!
OK, so I am so uneducated with regard to Les Mis, so I just listened to all the songs you have all posted here: Castle on a Cloud, Drink With Me, Bring Him Own & On My Own. All beautiful require so much emotion. I can really see David singing these kind of songs. I wonder which song in Les Mis was David’s favorite?
So why does Simon think that Broadway music is beneath AI show songs?
I don’t get it……maybe it has something to do with $$$……Simon probably doesn’t get a cut there…. :-)
This isn’t Broadway, but I would love to hear David sing Hallelujah as done by KD Lang..

Hi everyone,
I am also not that familiar with the Les Mis storyline. I saw it on Broadway when I was still new to this country so I don’t remember it all but I do remember its majestic sound. Burkey I believe on David’s trip to Asia he was asked that question and he said – Castle on a Cloud. I can imagine a young David facinated with the young child actor who sang this song and wanting to watch it over and over.

One song that I would give anything to hear David sing is the Luther Vandross version of “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha. I love the lyrics and I know David could do it justice. It would be perfection. :)

It is a shame that Simon has dissed Broadway so many times on Idol. It is true though that the Idols who go on Broadway are smart to do so because they will actually get paid for their singing whereas those who make records have a large portion of their potential profits stolen through illegal downloading. Many do not make a profit at all.

i’m not very knowledgeable about broadway shows but i know it’s huge if you make it there. i wonder where simon’s disdain for it is coming from. most entertainers have relatively short careers in comparison to other professions. i think it’s wise to venture into broadway and other areas of entertainment if the opportunity arises. that way, you expand your repertoire.

David Archuleta is #8 at Billboard’s top 25 idols of all time :-)
Album Sales: 968,000
Track Sales: 3,000,000
Radio Plays: 177,000
“Currently writing for his sophomore album, David Archuleta is approaching platinum sales of his debut album, which has sold 968,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The 19-year-old also made a memorable solo turn on “Somos El Mundo,” the Spanish-Language version of “We Are the World 25″, and revisited his performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine” on the “Idol” stage in April. True to his nice-guy form, Archuleta recently blogged that year’s batch of “Idol” contestants “a group of cool people!”

Hi all! My favourite musical is Phantom of the Opera. Needless to say, I love David’s performance of Think Of Me. I’ve seen it three times, all of them in London. I find British musical theatre performers amazing, with very strong, technically perfect voices. I saw Les Miserables on Broadways when I visited NY years ago, but I can’t remember a single song although I recall enjoying the show.

Anyway, I was at MJ’s watching the videos from tonight’s AI elimination show. I only watched because of Harry Connick Jr. I love him. He was hilarious! And what a great musician and singer he is. They could hand him the show and fire everybody else and I’d watch it again. Oh, and I couldn’t stop thinking what a great experience it would’ve been for David to have been mentored by someone who knows what a voice like his can achieve.

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